Tears like Mine
by purplefeather21
Summary: Ashley Massaro quit the WWE one year ago. Her daughter was sick, and needed her. Now, she's ready to give it another try. Will she be okay with her surroundings? Or will the unexpected happen?
1. Chapter 1

**

* * *

**

A/N: Well, this is a random story that popped into my head when I was seeing the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Ashley came out it. Please review and let me know what you think. The daughter mentioned in this story is a figment of my imagination, and so is her history. I'm going to put this as this Monday's Raw.

**Additional thanks to Kat and twinny for all you constant support and help.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own WWE or the superstars mentioned on here. The only person I own is Carrie Marie Massaro, and her history.**

* * *

Tears like Mine

Ashley Massaro was nervous. Tonight would be the day that marked her return. A year ago she left World Wrestling Entertainment because her four year old daughter, Carrie was very sick. She walked hand in hand with her daughter for the first time in a building where the WWE was held. She had never introduced her daughter to the superstars in order to avoid judgment. She looked around and found her destination. It was the office of her boss, once again, Vince McMahon. She knocked on the door, and waited for an answer.

"Come in." a voice said from within the office.

Ashley did come in, and found her friend Shane McMahon in there.

"Ashley. Wow, what a wonderful surprise I never thought I would see the day you would grace us with your presence within the company. What are you doing here?" Shane rambled.

"Whoa, slow down Shane. Well, your dad offered me a contract when I told her Carrie was okay. I'm back, for good. And, I brought my little troublemaker here." Ashley said as Carrie hid behind her leg. "I'm sorry. She isn't usually like this." Ashley apologized.

"That's okay. I am a stranger to her." Shane said as he walked from his desk to where the punk princess was standing, and crouched down beside her daughter. "She's beautiful. Hey sweetie. I'm Shane, but you can call me Uncle Shane. Oh, and look I have chocolate. Do you want some?" Shane asked as he pulled a bar of chocolate out of his expensive suit as Ashley watched and laughed.

"Yes, please Uncle Shane." four year-old Carrie said eagerly, and stepped towards her new uncle.

"Great, now I'm stuck with two little kids." Ashley muttered.

"Hey! That's not fair." Shane protested at being called a child.

"Would it be better if I called you a nice little kid?" Ashley joked.

"Maybe, maybe not, you know, I can be a forgiving person when I want to be. Shane replied jokingly.

Ashley laughed, and stepped forward to hug her very good friend. Within seconds, Ashley felt small hands wrap around hers and Shane's legs. She looked down, and saw that her daughter had joined the hugging fest.

"Carrie Marie Massaro. Your hands are full of chocolate. Now, I don't mind, but you got Shane dirty. Gosh, I'm so sorry Shane." Ashley apologized once she saw that the bottom of Shane's pants had two sticky little hands full of chocolate.

"Don't worry about it Ashy, its okay. Accidents happen. Plus, it wasn't on purpose, was it princess?" Shane asked Ashley's little girl.

"No, but I'm sorry Uncle Shane." Carrie said as she looked like she was about to cry.

"Aww, its okay sweetie, Ashley, don't worry about it. Plus, I don't think that after tonight, the fans will be worrying about my pants." Shane told Ashley.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked.

"Have you been keeping up with Raw?" Shane retorted with a question of his own.

"Uh, yeah, but what does that have to do with tonight?" Ashley asked.

"Stephanie and I picked the General Manager." Shane told Ashley.

"Nice, who did you pick?" Ashley asked, not even bothering to include the Billion Dollar princess, whom she did not get along with.

"You aren't going to like this, but we picked Mike Adamle." Shane said

"You what? Adamle? Of all people, why him? He's horrible. From what I hear, he's not nice backstage, unlike Regal, who is." Ashley exploded.

"Mommy! What's wrong? Why are you mad?" Carrie asked worried at why her mom was suddenly mad.

"It's nothing baby. Don't worry about it." Ashley brushed it off.

"I thought we'd seen the last of you last year," a female voice said coldly. Ashley turned her head to see Stephanie McMahon standing in the doorway, leaning against the door with her arms crossed. Stephanie made her way into the small room, pushing Ashley out of the way as she did so. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. What a surprise Massaro, well, not a pleasant one, but still. What, did you get lost or something? The slut bar is across the street, you know."

Ashley was baffled. She was used to Stephanie's witty comments, and it didn't bother her. What did bother her was that she used words like that in front of her daughter. A daughter Stephanie had seen because she passed her.

Ashley had enough of Hunter's wife. She was pregnant, and for the second time, but she was still acting like a petty little high school bitch. So, Ashley stepped forward, moved away from Shane and Carrie, and slapped Stephanie with as much force as she could muster.

Stephanie gasped, and touched the spot Ashley had dared to hit her in. She, Stephanie McMahon was the daughter of the Chairman of the Board. And, Ashley had just hit her. She demanded respect. She smiled, and came up with a plan to make Ashley suffer. McMahon's didn't get mad, well, at least she didn't. She got mad and even.

"What the hell were you thinking? I'm Stephanie McMahon, the Billion Dollar Princess," Stephanie spat angrily, still rubbing the spot where Ashley had slapped her. She got right in Ashley's face and jabbed a finger into her chest. "No one does that to me. Just you wait until I tell my father--he'll fire you so fast it will make your head spin."

Stephanie continued yelling at Ashley, her voice getting louder and louder with each word she said. She was so caught up in yelling at and threatening Ashley that she didn't notice her father had entered the room until he spoke. "Oh really?" Vince asked, folding his arms over his chest. "And just why would I fire Ashley? She just returned to the company, and I don't think she's had time to get into any trouble yet." He smiled and looked at Ashley. "Now, what's going on here?"

Stephanie spoke up before Ashley had the chance to say anything against her. "I came in here, and tried to make nice with Ashley, and long story short, she slapped me." Stephanie smirked at Ashley behind her father's back.

"No, she didn't. You're a liar miss. You said something that got my mommy mad, and then she slapped you." Carrie spoke up for her mother.

Shane covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing. Smiling, Vince knelt down beside the little girl. "I don't think we've met before, young lady. My name is Vince McMahon." Vince took Carrie's small hand in his and shook it gently. He stood back up and turned to Stephanie, with a stern look on his face. "Stephanie, I'm sorry, but I know that you tend to exaggerate things. Before we jump to conclusions, I'd like to hear Ashley's side first." He turned in Ashley's direction. "Please, Ashley, tell me your side of the story. I promise not to make any judgments until I've heard the entire story." He nodded for Ashley to go ahead.

"Well, you see Vince, I came to talk to you, and I found Shane here instead. Shane and I have been friends since my first tenure with your company, so I stayed and talked to him. Stephanie came, and like always, she was rude and snobby. She said that there was a slut bar across the street, and that I had probably gotten lost. I am so sorry, and I know it's not very professional, but I slapped your daughter. Ever since my first day here, Stephanie has called me names and things. I do not know what kind of mother she is, but I don't use language like that in front of my daughter, nor do I allow it. So, my temper got the better of me. I do apologize." Ashley said as she stepped away from Vince, and towards her daughter that was now huddled in a corner.

Vince looked at Ashley, then at his daughter, and back at Ashley again. He rubbed his chin and chose his words carefully as he spoke.

"First of all, Ashley, let me apologize for Stephanie's behavior and her choice of words," he said sincerely. "She should never have used that kind of language in front of your daughter, and for that I really am sorry. I'm also sorry that she insulted you like that." Vince shot his daughter a stern look. "There was no reason for her to personally attack you like that, and what she said was not rue. You've been a good, hard worker during your time within the company, nothing less than professional. I think Stephanie owes you an apology." Vince looked at his daughter again. "Don't you, Stephanie? You owe both Ashley and this young lady here an apology for the things you said."

Stephanie pouted. "But Daddy, I--" Vince laid a hand firmly on Stephanie's shoulder. "No buts, Stephanie. Apologize to Ashley and her daughter, unless you want to face the consequences later."

She sighed. She did not want to do this, but she had to in order for her dad to be happy with her. But, Ashley would learn her lesson by the end of this night. "I apologize for what I said Ashley. I didn't mean what I said." Stephanie spoke quickly.

"I shouldn't have gone overboard like that, and I really hope you can forgive me and put this behind us." She smiled a fake smile and stuck her hand out to Ashley in a gesture of apology. "What do you say?"

Ashley bit her tongue and tried not to roll her eyes. She was no fool. She knew that Stephanie was only apologizing because her father had told her to, and because she didn't want to get in trouble later on. Ashley could have stooped to Stephanie's level, but she wanted to show that she was the bigger woman, so she stepped forward and shook Stephanie's hand. She knew that being polite and accepting Stephanie's apology would make her look better in Vince's eyes, even though she wanted to tell Stephanie to take her apology and cram it down her throat. "I forgive you, Stephanie," she said, even though she was thinking 'No way do I forgive you'. And yes, we can put this behind us." Ashley ran a hand through her hair. "Let's just forget it was even said, okay?"

"Sure, we've got nothing to loose. So, are you wrestling tonight?" Stephanie asked, and tried to look interested.Ashley shrugged, not really sure. "Well, I don't know. I just got here, so I'm not really sure what your dad and Shane have in store for me." Ashley knew Stephanie was putting on an act, but right now, that didn't matter. She wanted Vince to know that she was focused solely on getting back in the ring, not fighting with his daughter like some high school teenager.

"She's having a tag match with Melina against Katie and Jillian." Shane informed at "friendly" duo.

Stephanie smiled and tossed her hair back. "Well, that sounds interesting. I wish you good luck in that match." She smirked. "Melina, Katie, and Jillian, hmmm? I figured that you'd be wrestling someone like Kelly Kelly or Maryse, you know, the girls who are only interested in being eye candy. Are you sure you can hold your own against Katie and Jillian? They're actually here to wrestle."

Ashley simply rolled her eyes at Stephanie's childish remark. "I know they are, just like I am. Oh, and thanks, I'm not a believer on luck, but I appreciate it. I've actually beat Jillian before, you know." Ashley informed.

Shane could sense things getting tense between his sister and Ashley, and so he stepped in. "Um, Stephanie?" he questioned. "Don't you have something to do for Dad?" He hoped that his sister would get the hint and leave, because she was only making things worse. Sometimes he hated being her brother.

"Oh, yes I do." she laughed. "Sorry for having to leave so early Ashley. I hope we can do this again sometime." Stephanie said before waking off with Vince.

"I hope we never do this again." Ashley said once Stephanie had walked out, making Shane laugh.

"I don't like that lady." Carrie said.

"Carrie, that's not nice." Ashley scolded her daughter.

"So? She wasn't nice." Carrie said, and Ashley smiled embarrassedly at Shane.

"I'm sorry, Shane," Ashley apologized, her face still a bit red. "I never know what she's going to say. She just speaks her mind without thinking."

Shane ruffled Carrie's hair and smiled an understanding smile at Ashley. "But that's what you love about her, isn't it?" he asked, still smiling. "Besides, you know that old saying, right? That kids are the best judge of character?" Ashley nodded, having in fact heard the old saying. "That says something about the way Stephanie really is." He looked over at Ashley, the smile fading from his face.

"I just want you to know, I don't share my sister's opinions about things at all. I know you, and I know what you can do in that ring. I've seen you bust your butt many times, and whether you won or lost, you always put on a good match. Stephanie acts like a child sometimes, and I get so embarrassed by the way she acts and the things she says...it's terrible." Shane shook his head. "Sometimes she can be so cruel and mean that I just don't even want to be around her."

"Pardon my language, but sometimes she can be a spoiled brat, and she makes the whole family look bad," Shane continued. "There are times I wish we weren't even related."

"Oh, Shane, I don't want you to make you feel bad about her. She is your sister after all. I wouldn't want to be her sister either. Imagine her taking care of me. Uh, on second thought, I rather not imagine that." Ashley joked.

Shane laughed. "Yeah, it would be horrible. But you can take care of yourself, right?" he teased.

"Shane, the real reason I came to your office is because I need to talk to you about something," Ashley said softly.

"Of course, Ashley," Shane replied. "You know that you can come to me about anything, business or not. What is it?" He sat down in his chair and folded his hands over his lap.

He gestured for her to sit down as well, and she did. "Well, you see, I don't know if I made the right choice in bringing Carrie with me. I know that not every superstar is nice, and that's bothering me." Ashley confessed.

"Has anyone been mean to you yet?" Shane asked a concerned tone in his voice.

"Because if they have, well, I'll have a little talk with them. But continue, Ashley. I'm sorry for interrupting you."

"That's okay. But, no, no one has been mean or rude to me. You're actually the first person I talk to from the WWE." Ashley admitted.

"Well, I feel special. Uh, Ash?" Shane asked and looked around.

"Yes, Shane?" Ashley asked. "Is something wrong?"

Shane nodded. "Um, where's Carrie? Wasn't she sitting in that chair next to the door?" He began to panic.

Ashley turned around and noticed that her daughter was in fact gone. She had no idea where Carrie could have gone, because she'd never been in the arena before. Ashley began to worry and instantly got up out of her chair. "I don't know, Shane. She could have wondered off...oh gosh, I hope she doesn't get lost." Ashley's voice wavered and she began to panic as well.

"Okay, calm down. Take a deep breath. Okay, now let's go." Shane said, and he stood up and grabbed Ashley's hand.

Ashley squeezed Shane's hand and the two of them made a mad dash down the hallway, looking for any signs of a small four-year old daughter as they ran. As each moment passed, Ashley began to get more and more frantic. What if Carrie had gotten lost and didn't know how to find her way back? All sorts of terrible thoughts ran through her mind and Ashley felt like she might faint.

As Ashley and Shane went through the hallways, she began to cry. Her daughter was nowhere to be found. And, she didn't even want to think of the possibility of her having gone to where the crowd was. She hadn't been out for too long, had she? As far as she knew, and hoped, Carrie was still somewhere backstage. God, she didn't want to think of her bumping into someone like Stephanie. Who knows what the Billion Dollar Princess could do alone with her little girl. If she even touched a hair of her daughter, it'd be on.

Ashley picked up the face as she rounded a corner, still trying to look for Carrie out of the corner of her eye. She passed Stephanie's office and slowed down, popping her head in the door and looking around for Carrie. Stephanie was sitting behind her desk, typing away on her laptop. Carrie didn't seem to be in there, which relieved Ashley. At the same time though, it scared her because what if Carrie had ran through the door into the parking lot? Anyone could have snatched her up; kidnappings happened more than ever nowadays. Not having the strength to run anymore, Ashley leaned up against the wall to rest for a moment. Angry tears came to her eyes, and she cursed herself for letting this happen.

This was my fault, she thought. If I'd been paying more attention to her, Carrie would never have wandered off.

"Shane, we're been looking everywhere for her. Where could she be?" Ashley sobbed.

"Ssh, if she is in here, we will find her. I promise you that Ashley." Shane said as he allowed Ashley to cry on him.

"But what if she-" Ashley couldn't bring up the possibility of a kidnapping. It was too horrible for her to think about.

"No buts Ash. We'll find her." Shane promised.

He patted the Dirty Diva on the back and smiled. "Maybe she ran into the guys' locker room? We can always check there. And then we can stop by catering if she's not in the guys' locker room."

"Sounds good to me," Ashley replied, trying to stay calm. She and Shane made their way down the hall to the guys' locker room, with Ashley hoping the whole time that one of the Superstars had found Carrie and was keeping her safe until she got to her.

She shook her head in disbelief, smiling at Shane as she spoke. "Wow, I didn't think that my first night back would be this exciting. Or this stressful." The smile faded and the two of them continued down the hall in silence, with Ashley worrying the whole time. Finally, Shane and Ashley reached the locker room, and Ashley took a deep breath.She knocked on the door, and heard a faint," Come in."

Shane opened the door for her, and what she saw nearly stopped her heart. Dave Batista was playing with her daughter, and tickling her. She was always ticklish, and surprisingly, she was laughing with him.

She then fell on the floor, taking no notice of either he mother, or Shane.

Ashley felt as if a huge weight was lifted off of her when she saw Carrie, and that she was fine.

"You're funny, Mr. Batista," Cassie said, giggling. "Stop it!" she squealed as Dave tickled her small body again.

"No, not until you give up," Dave replied, smiling at the small child. "Give up? Come on, do you give up?" He was beaming from ear to ear and Ashley couldn't help but smile. She'd never really spoken to Dave, but judging by the way he was playing with her daughter, he seemed to be a nice guy.

Dave scooped the small girl up in his arms and hugged her tightly. "How did you get in here anyway, sweetie?" he asked. "I bet your mommy or daddy is very worried about you."

Cassie shook her head and wiped away a stray eyelash that was on her cheek. "Nah, I'm fine. Mommy's talking to Uncle Shane and that mean lady, Stephanie. I just wanted to see what all this place had to do while they were talking." She looked at Dave. "Is there a playground in here?"

Dave laughed. "No, unfortunately, there isn't. So who's your mommy pumpkin?" Dave asked curiously.

"Ashley." Shane said, his tone stern, as he had never really like Dave because of his attitude, and ways with women. He stepped inside the room, and looked at Dave, his jaw set.

"Shane," Dave replied, nodding at him. "What are you doing here? Is there something you needed to talk to me about?""Mommy!" Carrie squealed as she saw her mother.

The little girl hopped off of Dave's lap and ran to her mother, leaping into her arms. Ashley hugged her daughter tightly and a tear slipped out of her eye. Thank God, she thought. She'd been so worried that Cassie had been kidnapped, or gotten lost. Her daughter meant the world to her and she was so thankful that someone had found her.

"I was so scared, honey," Ashley said as she set the little girl down. "Don't ever wander off like that again, okay? You scared Mommy and Uncle Shane."

The little girl giggled. "Sorry mommy and Uncle Shane. I promise I won't do it again."

"You better not." Shane warned the little girl. "Or, you won't get any chocolate."

"Shane! You're giving my daughter unhealthy food." Ashley disapproved. "But, its good, isn't it?" Shane asked.

"Well, yeah, but it's not good for her to eat."

"You're okay, right?" Shane asked Cassie, as he arched an eyebrow at Dave. "Mr. Batista didn't hurt you or anything, did he?" He knew that the question probably sounded stupid, but he didn't trust Dave. For all he knew, Dave was as good with children as he was with women, and that was definitely not a good thing.

"What are you trying to say?" Dave asked, narrowing his eyes.

"That if you're as good with women as you are with little kids, Carrie probably didn't like you." Shane said seriously. "That if you're as good with women as you are with little kids, Carrie probably didn't like you." Shane said seriously.

"You think I would hurt an innocent child? Geez, Shane, I might be a jerk sometimes, but I'd never hurt a child. Besides, me and Cassie had lots of fun together, didn't we?" Dave asked the little girl.

"Yes we did." Carrie said happily.

She smiled at Shane and her mother. "He was really nice to me, Mommy, and I like him a lot."The two men began a stare down that looked so frightening, Ashley wanted to leave.

"Uh, that's really good honey, now let's go." Ashley suggested.

"But, mommy." four year-old Carrie whined.

"No, let's go baby." Ashley said, as she took her daughter by the hand and left.

* * *

Meanwhile in catering…

John Cena and Melina Perez were getting a snack before the show started.

"So, uh, are you in a match tonight Mel?" John asked as he took a bite of his banana.

"Yes, I am. I am taking part in a tag team match." Melina told John, as a sparkle appeared in her eyes.

"So, what do you think about your match?" John asked interestedly."Well, I think, no, sorry. I know we're going to kick ass." Melina said confidently.

John laughed. "I'm sure you will. Speaking of, who is your partner? Is it that person whose debut is barely talked about because Vince wants it to be a surprise??" John asked, patience wasn't really one of his virtues.

"I can't tell you that John. It's private, plus it ruins the element of surprise for her return. You will see later on, so be patient Johnny boy, even though we both know that isn't going to happen." Melina smirked.

"Damn. So how are you doing, girl?" John grabbed another banana, and began to eat it.

"I'm good, thanks. It feels nice, being single, I mean. What about you? Anyone out there for you?" Melina touched the subject carefully. Whenever she brought up the subject, John would go ballistic.

"Naw, not really. I'm done with the whole dating thing. I had too much pain I tried a relationship." John said absentmindedly.

"Not everyone is Maria, John. You're a great guy, and you deserve to be happy with the huge heart you have." Melina said softly.

"Mel, sweetie, is there anything you want to tell me?" John joked.

"Shut it." Melina growled at John's retreating figure.

John walked out of the room only to bump into his fellow RAW Superstar, Dave Batista.

"Hey dude." John greeted.

"John. What brings you here?" Batista asked.

"Oh, I was in catering talking to Melina." John admitted.

"Cool. I was in the locker room talking to--" he stopped abruptly, knowing full well who the surprise return was, and didn't want to spoil it.

"Talking to who?" John asked curiously.

"Never mind. Just forget it." Dave suggested.

"No, what were you going to say?" John asked, even more curious. He hated when people hid things from him, and it sounded as if Dave was trying to hide something from him. He'd practically spilled the beans just seconds ago until he caught himself and stopped talking. Dave usually knew all the backstage gossip, and even though he was a guy, John still liked to hear all the dirt. He hated not knowing what was going on behind the scenes.

"It's nothing, forget it," Dave insisted. "Nothing important, anyway." He tried to change the subject. "So you were talking to Melina, huh? What's going on with her?"

"Nothing man. We're just friends." John stated.

"Right, sure you are." Batista teased.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" John retorted, aggravated by Dave's tone. He didn't like what Dave was implying. He and Melina were nothing more than friends, and after what had happened with him and Maria, he was glad that she was his friend. She'd been there for him since the breakup, and he was grateful for that. There was nothing else going on between them other than friendship.

Batista was taken aback by John's harsh tone. He didn't mean to insult him. "Dude, chill out. I didn't mean to upset you. If you say nothing's going on, well, I believe you. I was just playing. But, just know any other time you do it again, you won't be so lucky." Dave warned, half-serious, half-jokingly.

"I'm sorry," John apologized. "I guess I shouldn't have snapped at you that way. I know you didn't mean anything, bro." He tried to bring the subject back to what Dave had been about to say earlier. "So what were you talking to Shane about? I saw you two whispering."

Dave snorted. "Talk with Shane I just can't stand that man. We weren't talking about anything special man. Just let it go." Dave advised.

"So, uh." John sighed.

"What's the matter?" Dave asked concerned.

"Come on man. I know we're not best friends, but what's going on?" Dave asked.

"It's just that I miss Ashley." John confessed.

"Oh, you do" Dave tried to act normal.

"Yeah, I do." John said sadly.

"Since she left, the company hasn't been the same without her. We really used to laugh and have fun together, and when she left, I don't know, it changed things. I just wish that she was still here. The other girls miss her, and I miss how she used to come talk to me before my matches." John took his cap off and rubbed his head.

Dave scratched his chin. "Didn't she give you her cell phone number or e-mail address before she left?"

John shook his head. "No, she didn't, actually. I don't know what happened. It was like she was here one day, and then the next she was gone. It was really sudden, and I still don't know what happened," he answered. "If anyone else knows why she left, they haven't said anything."

"Well, I'm sure she had her reasons. You know how Ashley is. She's really responsible." Dave defended.

"Do you know something I don't" John asked with narrowed eyes

"Nope. I don't John." Dave said seriously.

"Better not." John muttered under his breath.

"What did you just say kid?" Dave asked, narrowing his own eyes.

"What? I didn't say anything," John lied, trying to play it cool. He knew that Dave had some inside information, but for some reason he wasn't willing to share it with him. How did Dave know what was going on with Ashley anyway unless he'd been talking to her?

"You mumbled something," Dave replied. "I heard you. What did you say?" He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, waiting for John to speak.

"Oh, nothing," John said, shrugging. "It's just, how would you know what's going on with Ashley? Have you spoken to her recently or something?"

John was getting closer and closer to the truth, but Dave wasn't sure if he should tell him that Ashley was back or not. He'd been ordered by Shane to keep it a secret, but John seemed so anxious to know what was going on with Ashley. Dave wondered whether or not he should tell him.

I don't know if there's anything wrong with her, but maybe you should wait until she's ready to talk to you." Dave suggested, lying once again.

"What do you mean?" John asked, still clearly confused. Dave's comment confused him and it made him think that maybe he and Shane had been talking about Ashley. When she'd left, John hadn't been told whether or not she would return in the future or if she was done for good. He knew that it was too much to hope for, but maybe Ashley was back in the WWE.

"Wait a second...has Ashley said anything to Shane or anyone about coming back?"

"Ah, I see you two are talking about the lovely Ms. Massaro." a new voice interrupted.

Both men turned around, and saw Hunter.

"Hunter, what are you doing here" John asked, as the WWE Champion belonged to Smackdown now.

"I'm here with Steph to see Shane." " he said simply.

"It's still good to see you." Dave mused, and hugged his old friend.

"Congratulations man. On soon being a daddy again." Dave said, and hugged him again."I don't mean to be rude, Hunter, but Dave and I were having a conversation until you rudely interrupted us," John said, with a hateful tone in his voice. He turned back to Dave, who was still talking to Hunter.

"What were you going to say about Ashley?" he asked Dave, who didn't hear him because he was still in a conversation with Hunter. John began to get angry.

"Bro, Dave and I were in the middle of something, so if you don't mind, can we finish?" John asked, and turned back to Dave, who was shaking his head at John's behavior.

"What's wrong with him" Hunter asked, referring to John.

"Don't know." Dave muttered.

Suddenly, without warning, John threw his hat across the room and blurted out, "Would someone PLEASE tell me what the hell is going on here?" His eyes grew wide. "Dave, I know that you and Hunter know what's going on here, although I don't know what it is, and I don't understand why ya'll are trying to hide it from me. I know you both know what's going on with Ashley, so tell me."

Dave began to speak, but John interrupted him. "Don't lie. Whatever it is, just tell me. I have a right to know, after all."

Dave looked at Hunter, and saw that he knew the truth too.

Knowing he would probably be the best one to keep John calm, Hunter spoke.

"John," he spoke quietly, and put both of his hands on John's tense shoulders. "You are overreacting, calm down."

"Overreacting" John exploded. "I AM NOT overreacting. It's Ashley we're talking about."

"Yeah, I have to agree with Hunter. You're getting mad at us for no reason." Dave said calmly.

"I am not overreacting," John replied angrily. "Don't treat me like a child." He pointed at Hunter. "And Hunter, you need to stay out of this, it doesn't concern you. Like I said, this was between me and Dave before you just barged in here and interrupted us."

He shook his head. "And I don't like being lied to, which is what you are both doing. Apparently there's a big secret that you are both in on, and for some reason you won't tell me. You make up all these excuses and lies about what it is. If you'd just tell me we wouldn't be standing here arguing like this."

"Ha, see that's where you're wrong kid. Ashley is my business. She's my friend. And, I'm not treating you as a child." Hunter said coldly.

"You know what, I'm done. You can think whatever you want. No one is holding you back. I'm not arguing with anyone, you are. And, if I did have a secret, maybe it's a private one. That was my business, not yours."

"Well, you know what, Hunter?" John replied, stepping closer to the WWE Champion. "Ashley is my friend too, so if you're talking about her, that makes it my business."

"Why? And, I do have a reason. She was who Vince had to accompany me to the creative meetings. You, don't have a reason why you should get in my business. So, I'm warning you. Stay out of it." Hunter said menacingly.

"And what if I don't?" John challenged. "What if I go ask Vince or Shane what's going on? Hmmm? Maybe then I'd get a real answer." He started to walk off, but stopped in his tracks.

He turned around and looked at Dave, then at Hunter. "All I'm asking is if you know something about Ashley, that you tell me." He paused. "I really miss her and I'd like to talk to her again if it was possible. So if you have her number or you're in contact with her, just let me know, okay? I'd like to hear from her."Hunter really was feeling bad, and he could tell so was Dave, but Ashley has requested for them to keep it a secret. "Look, kid--." he tried to say, but he was cut off by the sound of "Generator A", Katie Lea's music, which was followed by Sliced Bread by Jillian Hall.

"Look, there's something you should know, and--" he tried again, but to no avail. Melina's "Paparazzi" stopped him dead on his tracks. He knew what was coming, and was anxious.

_You better hold on tight_

_Cause I'm gonna love you nice_

_I'm gonna do it right_

_Let me light a fire in you tonight_

_My eyes have never seen someone who looks like you_

_I wonder if you dream of my hands loving you_

_Because I know I do every day and every night_

_And I know I'll lose control if I can't crush this appetite_

_This dream is eating me alive_

_This dream is eating me alive_

_Can't you see I'm burning up inside?_

_I pray I will not be denied_

_Let's light a fire tonight_

_Let's play the music loud_

_Let's expand the flames up high_

_Let's burn it to the ground_

_Let's light a fire tonight_

_Let's light a fire tonight_

_Let's play the music loud_

_Let's expand the flames up high_

_Let's burn it to the ground_

_Let's light a fire tonight_

John couldn't believe it. The one person he was dying to see was here. She was back . His best friend, Ashley Massaro was back. Unbeknownst to John though, she was bringing her past with her. She brought her daughter who had needed her that day one year ago when she quit. John had no idea how or why she was back, but hopefully he'd find out soon enough. If only he knew what made Ashley come back.

After a few seconds, he was enraged. That was the secret both Hunter and Dave had known. The one they had kept from him. They would both feel his wrath, but for now, he would just concentrate on the fact Ashley was back.

Hopefully he'd get to talk to Ashley soon, and try to straighten out this whole mess. He was confused about why Ashley hadn't tried to contact him and let him know that she was coming back, and a little bit hurt. Hadn't they been friends? So why would she tell Hunter and Dave before she told him?


	2. Reactions

**

* * *

**

A/N: So I really hope you guys liked the last chapter, because I had fun doing it. Here's the next one, with a bit more of drama than the previous chapter. Enjoy! Reviews are appreciated.

**I couldn't have done this without you twinny! Thank you so much. You too Kat! You girls are amazing! Love ya!**

**Thank you to Kat RoadKill, twinny, JamieluvsHHH, and Randy4ever for reviewing chapter one. I appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of World Wrestling Entertainment, or any of it's Superstars mentioned her.**

**Summary: Ashley Massaro quit the WWE one year ago. Her daughter was sick, and needed her. Now, she's ready to give it another try. Will she be okay with her surroundings? Or will the unexpected happen?**

Previous chapter:

_Let's expand the flames up high_

_Let's burn it to the ground_

_Let's light a fire tonight_

_John couldn't believe it. The one person he was dying to see was here. She was back . His best friend, Ashley Massaro was back. Unbeknownst to John though, she was bringing her past with her. She brought her daughter who had needed her that day one year ago when she quit. John had no idea how or why she was back, but hopefully he'd find out soon enough. If only he knew what made Ashley come back._

_After a few seconds, he was enraged. That was the secret both Hunter and Dave had known. The one they had kept from him. They would both feel his wrath, but for now, he would just concentrate on the fact Ashley was back._

_Hopefully he'd get to talk to Ashley soon, and try to straighten out this whole mess. He was confused about why Ashley hadn't tried to contact him and let him know that she was coming back, and a little bit hurt. Hadn't they been friends? So why would she tell Hunter and Dave before she told him?_

Tears like Mine chapter 2

John ran to the nearest monitor, and stared at it.

Ashley came out, did her did her classic "rock and roll" sign with her hands, causing the fans to roar, and made her way down to the ring, beaming the whole time, and almost bouncing as she walked.

She blew kisses to the fans, and got inside the ring. All four nodded their heads when the referee asked if they were ready. He signaled for the bell to be rung.

The Paparazzi Princess, Melina, started off against Katie Lea Burchill. She skipped around gracefully, taunting the British woman. "Come on." she said, and smiled as Katie's temper got the better of her. She made a beeline for Melina, but Melina moved just in time, as Katie's shoulder hit the post. Katie yelled in pain, not having been able to avoid crashing into the corner's post. Melina did her normal high pitched scream, but this time, she toned it down, the satisfaction in her voice was noticeable. She backed up, not really paying attention to where she was heading. Unfortunately for her, she was going towards Jillian Hall's corner. A more than ready Jillian dropped Melina from the corner, and into the floor. Her face hitting the bottom of the ring. Melina rubbed the side of her jaw and scowled. She quickly got in the ring and clotheslined Katie. She smirked and tried to do the Charging 180° spinning facebuster, but Katie moved and tagged Jillian. Melina thought about tagging Ashley in, but she figured Jillian wouldn't hurt her, as it was Jillian after all. Jillian charged at her, and slipped quickly into a plunging position as if in a pool. Her legs hit Melina with full force. She once again fell outside the ring, and towards the announcing table. She growled like a wildcat, and leaped into the ring. She smirked at Jillian's back was to her. The perfect chance to strike.

She nailed a DDT on her, and tagged Ashley, who had no problem with whom her opponent was. She and Jillian had some beef when back in 2007 after Ashley had posed for Playboy. Before, that, both had gotten along, and teamed against Michelle McCool and Kristal Marshall. Then, Jillian had gotten jealous. She attacked Ashley because she had gotten chosen to work in Timabaland's video, and seriously hurt her. Now, Jillian would be the one to be the one to lose. Her daughter was watching, and she was not about to lose to Jillian of all people.

This, above everything else motivated her. She grabbed some of Jillian's blonde hair, and tossed her across the ramp's side of the ring. She smiled at the fans approval, but never turned her back on Jillian. She measured her up, and when Jillian turned around, she was met with one nasty crucifix by the Dirty Diva. 1-2-3, the bell rung, and Ashley had won for her team. Her return had been a successful one.

_You better hold on tight_

_Cause I'm gonna love you nice_

_I'm gonna do it right_

_Let me light a fire in you tonight_

_My eyes have never seen someone who looks like you_

_I wonder if you dream of my hands loving you_

_Because I know I do every day and every nigh__t_

_And I know I'll lose control if I can't crush this appetite_

Ashley got on the top rope, and raised her fist in victory. She blew a kiss to a little boy who was cheering her on. She hugged Melina, and together, they made up their way to the ramp, triumphant smiles on their faces.

No sooner than 10 seconds after she had come through the curtain, she heard her daughter yell, "Momma! You won!" Ashley looked around, and she saw Carrie run from Vince McMahon's office with Shane.

"Baby!" Ashley yelled, and opened her arms to receive her daughter.

Shane McMahon was right behind her, a grin on his face. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Ashley said, a smile on her face now, as she hugged Shane with her one free arm because her daughter was in the other.

* * *

**Some feet away…**

Melina spotted John Cena staring, well, more like ogling as Ashley and Shane. She knew he probably wasn't too happy knowing others had known before him.

"Hey." She said as she came closer to him.

He, however, stayed quiet.

"You care about Ashley, right?" she asked.

He turned around to look at Melina, and then nodded.

"Great, then don't ruin this for her. This is her night back. When I talked to her on the phone, she would be excited about this. It wouldn't be fair of you to screw this moment up for her. So, I suggest you wait until later to get angry, or whatever you're planning to do. Because I'll be damned if you go and make a scene in front of Carrie, her daughter. Carrie, who did nothing wrong." Melina pressed.

John stood there silent. His head trying to make up any reason as to why Melina wasn't right, but it couldn't. He realized it wouldn't be fair to Ashley or her daughter, instead, he would wait until the right moment to talk to him.

"Fine." he agreed, and began to walk away from Melina, and towards the men's locker room.

* * *

**In that same locker room…**

**(Dave's POV)**

Dave Batista stood there, in his trunk, ready for him match. He had seen Ashley's match, and he was impressed. He smiled when he saw the New York native and his ex-girlfriend win. He wasn't very fond of Jillian, and pitied the fact Katie Lea Burchill had been teamed up with her.

"Dave." a fuming Katie Lea greeted.

"Katie. I saw the match. I'm sorry you lost." I sympathized.

"Don't. I didn't." she grinned.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I wasn't the one pinned. Plus, this is Ashley's return. I'm glad she won it. She deserves the win." Katie answered.

"Ha, you have a point." I smiled.

"So, I came and I was wondering if you had seen my boyfriend, Ken Kennedy?" Katie asked as Batista began to blank out.

She waved at him, and snapped her fingers which got his attention.

"Huh?" I asked.

She laughed. "Have you seen Ken?" she asked him again.

"Looking for me?" the blonde man asked.

She nodded, and went to kiss him, which got a groan in response from me.

Katie looked at him, and said, "You could always leave, you know."

Which, was a suggestion Dave Batista took.

* * *

Ashley and Carrie went to the women's locker room, where they found Kelly, Layla, and Beth Phoenix. Where, Ashley asked the girls if they could watch Carrie while she quickly changed of clothes. They happily agreed, liking Ashley's daughter, and wanting to get to know her. No sooner than she had stepped into the showers, and had put her clothes down, there was a knock at the women's locker room door.

Layla peeked her head out the door, and found Dave Batista outside.

"Dave, what are you doing here?

"Uh, I was looking for um.." Dave said quietly, so much that Layla was unable to hear whom he was looking for, but was able to guess.

"Ashley?" Layla finished.

"Yeah, I actually was." Dave said nervously.

"Um, she's in the shower, but if you want, I can tell her you stopped by, and that you wanted to talk to her." Layla suggested."No." Dave seemed appalled by the suggestion. "You know what? Just forget it. Don't tell her I was here, please."

"Uh, are you sure?" Layla asked.

"Yeah, please don't." Dave begged.

Layla sighed. "Fine."

"Thanks." Dave thanked.

Layla quietly closed the door behind her, praying Ashley wouldn't hear it.

"Who was that?" Beth asked Layla.

"Uh, it was Cody." Layla lied.

"Cody?" Beth asked, raising her eyebrow, however, this subject was making Layla uncomfortable, so she didn't further press it.

"Yeah." Layla said quietly and left.

Ashley came out of her shower, and saw Beth and Carrie playing Slide. Ashley laughed, startling the pair.

"Oh, hey Ash." Beth smiled.

"Hey. Um, I'm going to catering with Carrie, do you want anything?" Ashley asked.

"Momma, can I stay here?" Carrie asked.

"No, we don't want to bother Beth." Ashley told Carrie.

"Oh, its no problem." Beth insisted.

"Are you sure?" Ashley asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, go to catering." Beth said, and began to push Ashley out the door.

* * *

As she walked into catering, she saw Raw's Heavyweight Champion, Phil Brooks. He turned around at the sound of some feet.

He immediately left his half eaten brownie to hug Ashley.

"Ashley," he greeted with a huge smile on his face, as he closed his arms around the Dirty Diva. Ashley returned the hug and smiled. Punk pulled away from her and smiled again.

"I saw your match. You did an amazing job!" the Straight-Edge Superstar complimented. "I have to say, you didn't miss a beat out there in the ring. It's like you were never gone."

Ashley brushed back a piece of her short multi-colored hair and replied, "Thanks, Phil. I can't believe how much I missed being here. Now that I'm back, though, I plan on picking up right where I left off."

"And taking some names while you're at it?" he teased.

Ashley nodded and laughed at the champ's comment, shaking her head. "Exactly," she replied. "I want to prove to the other superstars and the fans that I am more than eye candy; that I can actually wrestle. That means I need to get a shot at the Women's Championship." Her expression grew serious. "But, I don't know if or when that will happen."

Punk patted Ashley's shoulder reassuringly. "Ashley, don't worry about what everyone else thinks. I know that you are not just eye candy. I've seen you go out there and kick butt." He popped another brownie in his mouth. "Those people who say that about you, they don't matter. They're just jealous of you."

Ashley laughed. "You know, whenever there's a problem or something, you're the one person I like to talk to. You make things seem more brighter with the positive attitude you have." Ashley told him.

Phil blushed. Many of the Superstars didn't know it, but he was actually very shy. He and Ashley had always gotten along because they shared similar interests, from music to movies. He considered Ashley someone he could trust and a very close friend.

Ashley always made him feel comfortable and he was glad that she was back. He tossed his head back and replied,

"Well, I'm glad that I can always cheer you up. And you know, it goes both ways. You always make things seem brighter for me as well, even when I'm not feeling so great."

Ashley felt a blush creep over her cheeks. If she didn't know any better, she'd think that Phil was flirting with her. But then again, he was hard to read sometimes. She had to be mistaken.

"Phil, are you flirting with me?" the Diva teased, lightly slapping Phil's chest. Phil turned a deep red shade and he looked away from Ashley, suddenly becoming very interested in the marble pattern on the floor. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Phil said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just meant that it's been really boring without you around here. Who else can I call up at 3:00 in the morning when I can't sleep?" His eyes met Ashley's. "But seriously, I wanted to tell you that you did great with your match tonight, and I hope I get to see more of you now that you're back." He scratched his head lightly. "Does anyone else know that you're back?"

"Um, actually, yes," Ashley replied, as she twirled a piece of hair around her finger. "Layla, who's with Carrie, Shane, Stephanie, Dave, and you. I'm not sure if anyone else knows yet. I haven't told them, anyway."

Punk's face grew serious as he asked, "What about John? Does he know that you're back?"

Suddenly, Ashley's eyes grew big. She cursed under her breath, having forgotten about not telling John. "I didn't want to tell anyone. The people that found out--it, it was by accident." Ashley admitted.

"Yes, it was. If something unexpected was to happen, and then perhaps the fans found out, and I couldn't come , I would feel bad. Just like I couldn't tell my friends I was going to come back. Anything could have happened. Carrie could have hated the idea of me coming back, or she could have gotten sick." she explained.

With that, he understood, and was amazed by Ashley's compassion and caring of people. "Well, I'm glad Carrie was okay with it. It means we have you . Speaking of Carrie, I heard she's a cutie. Do you think I can meet her?" Phil asked.

Ashley was about to reply to Phil's question when she saw the Queen of Chaos, also known as Katie Lea, approaching them. She smiled warily at the British woman because she really wasn't sure what to make of her. She'd heard from a few of the other girls that Katie could be quite frosty around people, and downright mean if she didn't like someone, so Ashley was kind of apprehensive about her.

Then again, Ashley figured that Katie had no reason to be rude to her, since she really didn't know her all that well. She put a smile on her face and waved as Katie stopped beside her, standing between Ashley and Phil.Ashley smiled back at the British woman and stuck her hand out in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Katie," she said.

Katie tossed her long, dark mane behind her shoulders and, in her British accent, congratulated Ashley on her match.

"Great job out there. I was very impressed with your work. Unlike Kelly Kelly and some of the other girls, you really gave it your all and was focused on doing the best you could."

Ashley was pleased. One of World Wrestling Entertainment's best girls thought she was good. "Thanks, I really appreciate it." Ashley said sincerely.

Katie nodded her head. "Phil." She greeted the young man.

He was shocked. He had seen Katie around, but she had never talked to him before. "Um, uh, u-m h-hi Katie." he stuttered.

Ashley grinned at Phil's reaction. She'd never seen him so flustered over a girl before, but then again, Katie could be kind of intimidating.

"What's the matter, Phil?" Ashley asked teasingly. "Cat got your tongue?" She held back a laugh.

"I don't bite, you know," Katie said softly, her stern expression beginning to melt. "So, do you have a match tonight?" she asked, trying to make conversation with Phil.

"Um, uh," Phil sputtered, still clearly nervous. Normally, he didn't get nervous around women, but Katie Lea was a little different. For one thing, she was quite conniving at times, and Phil wasn't sure if she was trying to be nice to him or not, or if she was just teasing him. "I'm not sure," he replied cautiously.Katie laughed, a deep, breathy laugh. "You don't know if you have a match tonight or not? Were you not paying attention earlier when Shane went over the plan for tonight?"

Clearly, that comment embarrassed Phil, because he turned to Ashley and, with a wave, mumbled, "Bye, Ashley, talk to you later," and stormed off in a huff. Ashley thought she heard him mutter something about "stupid British women," as he left.

Katie was surprised by his sudden absence leave. "Did I do something" she asked Ashley.

Ashley hesitated. "No, he's just real shy sometimes." She explained.

"Oh, I thought it was me." Katie muttered.

Ashley smiled. "Nope, it was him. You made him nervous." she said quietly.

Ashley frowned. It's not that she didn't want to tell Katie, but discussing that, meant bringing up Carrie, whom she wanted to be safe, and not have people disliking her. "Um, well, I have a daughter, Carrie, and um, she was very sick a year ago, so I had to take care of her. She had to go to the hospital for about 3 months, and was under observation. It was horrible. Well, she got better, and I stayed with her for the rest of the 7 months. About a month ago, Shane contacted me and asked me if I thought I could come . I told him I had to talk to Carrie first. When I talked it over with her, she said I should come . The first thing I told Shane, was that I wouldn't do something that my daughter would see, and that it would be nasty. Like stripping or being an Exhibitionist." she explained.

Katie waited until Ashley was finished before speaking. "Wow," she replied. "I am so sorry, Ashley. I had no idea that you even had a daughter, or that she was sick. I don't have children, so I can't understand your situation completely, but I applaud your decision to step back from wrestling so that you could take proper and better care of her."

Ashley was surprised by Katie's reaction. She was afraid that the other woman would have judged her unfairly, or made some rude comments about her situation, but she hadn't, surprisingly. She seemed to respect Ashley, and that touched her heart.

Katie walked over to one of the benches and sat down, unlacing her boots. "From what I can tell, you are a very good mother who just wanted the best for her daughter. Don't let anyone tell you any different." She smiled. "And, we actually have something in common. I absolutely refuse to do anything pertaining to stripping, or even bra and panties matches. I'm here to wrestle, not impress the boys."

She nudged Ashley playfully. "It's nice to see that I'm not alone in feeling like that. Girls like us have to stick together, right?"

"And, from watching you out there in the ring, you have amazing skill," Katie tossed her boots to the side and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. "Your daughter must be very proud to have a mommy like you, who is so caring and concerned about her."

Ashley laughed. "Right, if not, we're turned into someone like Kelly. And, as I have a daughter, I'm not here to impress any man. Ugh, bra and panties are horrible. Trust me, I've done them, and I hate 'em too." Ashley shivered at the thought.

"I honestly don't think anyone would want to see me in my underwear," Katie replied, shrugging. "I look quite horrid in them, and besides, I wouldn't feel comfortable parading around in the ring like that. I'd feel...a bit too naked." She grinned at Ashley. "So, have any of the guys welcomed you back yet?"

"Um, besides Phil, no, no one has. Before my match, I did see Shane and Dave, but that's it. Phil's the only guy. Oh, wait, I saw Shane." she giggled, because she had forgotten.

"Shane?" Katie arched an eyebrow. "Is he really as nice as everyone says? Because I know that Stephanie can be quite mean, and I didn't know if it was a family trait." She tugged at a piece of hair. "I really haven't spoken to him that much, so I can't say. But Stephanie, well...let's just say we don't get along," the British woman replied.

Ashley laughed. "Ha, Stephanie's a witch, so I'm not surprised you don't like he. I know I sure don't. Shane, I am relieved to say, is nothing like his sister. He's kind and compassionate." Ashley smiled at Katie.

"Wow, that's hard to believe," Katie replied. "I will agree with you, Stephanie's downright rude at times. People think I'm rude and mean like my character, but really, I'm not. I'm very nice once you get to know me. Stephanie, on the other hand..." the brunette's voice trailed off. "I feel sorry for Shane. So, did he get things straightened out for you?"

"Yes, he did. I'm on contract now." Ashley smiled at the thought. "And, Carrie's okay with it, so that's really good. I came , and won. Then, the best part, was that it was against Jillian. And," she paused dramatically. "I beat her blonde horrible singing butt!"

Katie cringed. "And I'm glad you did." She shuddered at the thought of Jillian's voice. "She has a horrid singing voice. Hasn't anyone told her that before, or does she just not care?" Shrugging, she changed the subject.

"Who are you sharing a room with?" Katie asked curiously, not meaning to be nosy.

"No one." the blonde replied, and continued. "Because my return was supposed to be a surprise, I didn't tell anyone."

"I see," Katie replied. "I wasn't trying to be nosy, I was just wondering if you and Carrie had a place to stay. Because if not, I was going to tell you that you guys could always share a room with me. I don't mind at all," the other woman replied. "I just didn't know if you guys were sleeping in your car, or what. I hope I didn't offend you."

Ashley couldn't help but like this woman. Contrary to popular belief, she was nice and sweet. Sure, intimidating at first, but nice. "No, you didn't offend me. And, if you don't mind, I might just take you up on that offer." Ashley said sheepishly.

Katie thought for a second before replying. "No, I don't think so." She absent-mindedly brought a hand up to her mouth and began to bite her fingernails. "I know that Ken and some of the boys were going to go to a club after the show, and normally I would go, but I don't feel like it tonight."

Ashley nodded. "OK, thanks, Katie." She placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder. "I really appreciate you being so nice and welcoming to me and my daughter." Ashley smiled, a bit nervously. "Um, well, I'll go ahead and let you go take your shower now, and I'll see you later tonight."

The British woman waved goodbye, and Ashley made her way out of the locker room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ashley went towards the men locker room, hoping Phil was there. She knocked on the door, and waited for a response.

The door opened, and she saw Ted DiBiase Jr. grin at her."Ted DiBiase." he introduced himself, and stuck out his hand.

Um, hi," Ashley said, taking the younger man's hand. "I don't think I've seen you before...are you new?" She sized the younger man up. He was young, maybe around 26 or so, and fairly good-looking. Ashley couldn't recall seeing him on the roster before, but then again, it had been a while since she'd been there. Obviously things had changed. She noticed that the man had a championship belt over his shoulder, and a closer look told her that it was a Tag Team Championship belt.

"Well, kind of," the man replied. "So, I didn't catch your name...are YOU new around here?" The comment almost made Ashley laugh. Dibiase...the name sounded familiar. She put two and two together and concluded that he had to be the son of the legendary Ted Dibiase, also known as The Million Dollar Man. She shook her head. He was kind of cocky, but not in an annoying way.

"I'm Ashley Massaro," she replied. Gesturing to Ted's championship belt, she continued, "So, Tag Team champion, huh? Who's the other half of the team?"

Ted smirked and glanced over at his belt, then at Ashley, before replying, "The infamous Ashley Massaro. I've heard quite a lot about you, and from what I see, it seems to be true." Ashley wasn't quite sure what to make of that comment, but she let Ted continue. "I debuted a few months ago, and formed a tag team with Cody Rhodes. I'm sure you know who he is. And yes, in case you were wondering, my dad is the Million Dollar Man. Unlike my father, though, I don't have a price. I'm simply priceless." He pointed down at his entire body, and then back up at his face. "You weren't here when I debuted...were you released?"

Ashley was about to take offense to that comment, but she noticed that the younger man really hadn't meant anything by it.

Ashley smiled. "No, I left to take care of my daughter." she smirked at Ted's shocked face.

"Daughter?" Ted replied, the shock still evident on his face. "Whoa, wait a second. Did I miss something?"

"Yep, daughter." She confirmed. "Her name's Carrie Marie Massaro. Sorry bro kicked my butt to the curb when he found out. His choice was to have me abort, but I didn't want to. So, she's a Massaro, just like me."

Ted let out a low whistle. "Geez, I'm sorry about that." He cautiously laid a hand on Ashley's shoulder. "Really, I am. That guy sounds like a total jerk. You're better off without him, and so is your daughter. She doesn't deserve a dad like that." He frowned. "I can't believe he kicked you out just because you wouldn't abort your child." Ted shook his head. "Geez."

Ashley had stopped caring about her ex, Nathan Daniels, so it didn't bother her like it used to. Then, remembering the younger DiBiase's words, she began to laugh. "Geez, huh? Is that your favorite word or something?" She teased.

"Well, normally I'd throw around a curse word or two, but I don't want to use foul language in the presence of a lady," Ted smirked. "So how old is your daughter, anyway? She can't be too old...after all, you're not that much older than me."

Ted set his belt down on the bench and walked back over to Ashley. "So your ex-boyfriend hasn't tried to harass you, or follow you around or anything?" he asked, in a concerned tone. "Because if he does, there's plenty of guys here who I'm sure wouldn't mind kicking his ass if he tried anything."

"Nope, he hasn't tried to harass me, or follow me around. He has tried to see Carrie for some time now, but I haven't let him. If it's wrong, I could care less. He has no right to see her." she said coldly.

"It's not like he wanted to see her before--like I did." she added softly.

"I really don't blame you," the younger man replied. "Based on what you've told me, you wouldn't be wrong in never letting him see Carrie. After all, if he'd cared anything about her--or you--he never would have walked out like that." Ted looked over at Ashley and noticed that her expression was sad. "What's wrong, Ashley? Are you okay?" He moved closer to the woman and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Ashley nodded, but she didn't say anything. It wasn't Nathan that she was upset about, not really. It was the fact that her daughter had a father, but he refused to make the effort to see her.

"Yes, I'm okay." she lied, and put a fake smile on her face. "And, the reason for my visit was to see--" she tried saying before getting interrupted.

"To see me. Yeah, I know." he joked.

'Ha." she snorted.

"Actually, I was looking for Phil, you know, the World Heavyweight Champion." she glanced at Ted and his Tag Team title.

"Hey, wait a second," Ted interrupted her, as he patted his belt. "Are you saying that I'm not as talented, or as valued, as Phil just because I'm a Tag Team champion and not a World Heavyweight Champion?" His tone was teasing and Ashley couldn't help but laugh. She liked this guy.

"But actually, I haven't seen Phil." Ted gestured toward the small shower and said, "The last time I saw him, he was going to take a shower. Then I think he said something about going to catering and getting something to eat, but I'm not sure. Cody was talking, and once he gets started, he never shuts up." The young man ran a hand over his short hair and continued, "So maybe you should check there."

"Thanks, so catering then?" she asked.

"Yup." he said.

"If not, I suggest just wait until you bump into him or something." the young man suggested.

"All right, it was nice to meet you…Junior." she said with a smirk.

"Nice to meet you too, Ashley," Ted replied, smiling. But the smile disappeared from his face at the name Ashley called him. "Wait a second, you called me Junior? Well, just so you know, you are the only one who can call me that!"

Ashley waved once again before leaving the locker room and down the hallway to catering.

* * *

The thoughts of her previous encounters with Katie Lea, who actually was nicer than Ashley had expected, and Ted Dibiase, Jr. were still in Ashley's mind as she walked down the long hall. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and before long, she had reached the snack bar. Ashley mused over the choices in front of her and finally decided on some potato chips. She reached down into her pants and fished out three quarters, then slipped them in the small slot. A few seconds later, the chips popped out and Ashley reached down to pick them up. When she stood back up, there was Phil Brooks. He was holding a bag of M&M's and had a smile on his face.

"Gosh, Phil, you scared me." Ashley scolded, lightly slapping the World Heavyweight Champion's chest.

He laughed. "Sorry Ash. But then again, it's not like I was spying on you, or following you. So, no harm done. Or, am I wrong?" he asked.

She sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It could be worse. And, no, you're not wrong."

"You could have said something," Ashley replied. "Where have you been? I was just in the guys' locker room, looking for you."

"I was looking for you." he said with a smile. Phil studied Ashley's face before replying. "Are you okay?" he asked her softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ashley replied, her tone soft as well. She could tell by the look on Phil's face that he didn't believe her. "I am, really," the blonde beauty insisted. "I was looking for you, and you were looking for me. It's kind of funny." She laughed. "Might I ask why you were looking for me?"

Punk shrugged. "You first. Why were you looking for me?"

"You wanted to meet Carrie." she said.

"Oh, that's right," Punk replied, a little bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I forgot. Of course I'd love to meet Carrie. Where is she?"

"She's with Layla. Where exactly, I'm not sure. But, they should be at the locker room." Ashley said as she began to walk towards the locker room.

Phil followed close behind Ashley as the duo approached the girls locker room. Ashley placed her hand on the doorknob and was about to open the door when Phil stopped her.

"Wait a second, don't you think we should knock?" Phil asked cautiously. Ashley just stared at him, so Punk rolled his eyes and continued. "I mean, the last time I did this, I ended up walking in on Jillian, and she was naked." He shuddered. "She started screaming at me, like she does every week, and I do not want that to happen again."

She pushed the door back and was relieved to see her daughter sitting on the floor with Layla, who was braiding her hair. Layla noticed Phil and Ashley standing there and smiled as she did the finishing touches on Carrie's hair. "There you go, sweetie," she replied, patting the small child on the back. "You look great." She nodded at Phil. "Hey, Ash. I was looking for you--well, Carrie was, anyway." The little girl ran over to her mom excitedly, and Ashley scooped the little girl up in her arms.

"Oh, baby." Ashley said softly.

"Where were you momma?" Carrie asked.

"I was looking for you," Ashley answered, stroking the little girl's hair. "I'm sorry if you got scared. I was trying to find you, and then I got caught up talking to Katie, and Ted." She kissed her daughter on the cheek. "But Momma's back now." She set the little girl down and pointed at Phil, who wasn't quite sure what to think of Carrie. "Carrie, I'd like you to meet someone. This is CM Punk, but you can call him Phil. He told me that he wanted to meet you." She smiled at Phil, who was now beaming from ear to ear.

Carrie shyly made her way over to the Straight-Edge Superstar.

"Hi." she greeted, twirling her hands.

"Hi sweetie. I'm Phil." he greeted, and extended his arms for the four year-old girl.

"Nice to meet you." she said as she made her way over to the young man.

"Awww." Layla and Ashley cooed in unison.

Phil blushed, but he didn't say anything. He wrapped his arms around the small girl, squeezing lightly before letting her go. He really did love children, and he hoped that he would be lucky enough to have some of his own one day.

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied, as the little girl smiled at him. She giggled and the Straight-Edge Superstar cocked his head, asking, "What's so funny?" Carrie covered her mouth with her little hands and shrugged.

"You have rings in your lip, like Momma," she answered.

"Did they hurt?" She stuck out a finger and touched Punk's lip ring gently. He laughed and said,

"Only a little bit. Your momma and me, we're tough." He looked up at Ashley, who was still smiling.

"We sure are." Ashley winked at Phil.

"So, mommy?" Carrie broke the comfortable silence.

"Yes baby?" Ashley asked, raising her eyebrow at her daughter's mischievous smile.

"Can we go to get some M&M'?" the four year-old asked.

"We?" she questioned.

'Yes, Uncle Phil and I." Carrie said softly, looking at Phil's face as she said the last three words.

"Well, baby, I guess so," Ashley said. "That is, if it's okay with Phil." She raised a questioning eyebrow at Punk, trying to see his reaction.

The little girl's new nickname for Phil melted his heart and he was very flattered and happy that Carrie had taken up with him so well. A boyish smile came over his face and he felt his cheeks getting red.

"I'd love to, sweetie," he answered, again wrapping his arms around the little girl. "It's up to your mommy, though." He looked up at Ashley. "Is it okay, Ash?"

She smiled. "Yep, it sure is. Although I don't want you to have them all. It's not healthy baby. So, promise me you won't have too many." "I promise momma." Carrie said as she took out her pinky to do a pinky promise.

Ashley used her own pinky, and shook on it with Carrie. "All right then, ya'll can go." she said.

Phil smiled at her, and took the little girl by her hand, and made their way out.

* * *

As they left, Ashley began to look in her bag for her beloved iPod. She searched the interior part for a few seconds, and then felt as if someone was staring at her. She turned around, and sure enough, there was someone over there.

"John." she said nervously as she saw the former WWE Champion leaning on the door.

Without a word, he stepped inside the locker room.

"What are you doing here?" Ashley asked, tensing up as the former Champ took a seat on the bench next to her back.

"I could ask you the same question," John replied, his eyes on the floor. "Why didn't you say anything about coming back to the WWE?"

"What do you mean, that's what you wanted?" John asked, the anger evident in his voice. "You really expect me to believe that you didn't tell anyone you were coming back? I don't believe it, Ash."

He was very angry with Ashley for two reasons: one, he thought she was lying to him about not telling one single person she was going to return, and two, because it seemed like she didn't want to talk to him at all. John looked over at the woman sitting next to him, not sure of how she was going to react to what he had just said.

Ashley stayed quiet. "Yes, that's what I wanted. As for you believing it, well, do what you want. I'm not making you believe anything. You're free to have your opinion. And, no I didn't tell anyone I was coming back ."

John nodded slowly, trying to take all the information in. Maybe Ashley wasn't lying, but he still wasn't sure whether or not he believed her. And had this been something she'd suddenly decided? He was full of questions, all of which he was going to get the answers to before the night ended.

John could feel his heartbeat speeding up as he spoke, and it was all he could do to keep calm. He didn't like being kept in the dark, and Ashley's return had been just that. Friends didn't keep secrets from each other, or at least he didn't think so.

"I've been talking to Shane about coming back for about a month now." Ashley said simply.

"About a month," John repeated. "About a month?" His voice grew louder and he got up suddenly, walking over to the other side of the room and then beginning to pace back and forth. "Answer me this question, Ashley. Are we or are we not friends?"

"I don't know John. You tell me." she said, and began to look him in the eyes.

Ashley was starting to get worried. Never before, had she seen him this way. This pissed off actually.

John was hurt by Ashley's comment, but after the hurt went away, then the anger came. "What did you say?" he asked, in a dangerous tone. "Did you just tell me that you don't know if we're friends or not?" He got right up in Ashley's face, so close that their noses were almost touching. "If you really have to ask, then I guess we aren't friends at all. Maybe we never were, because friends don't keep secrets from each other!" he yelled the last word and Ashley cringed.

"I didn't keep any secrets from you." she said quietly.

"Um, yes you did," John said angrily, still right up in Ashley's face. "You've been thinking about coming back for a month now, and you didn't even have the decency to call me and let me know? Why would you do that, Ashley?"

He sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You apparently wanted to keep it a secret, but you told Shane. You wouldn't tell me, for some reason that you won't say. So it's fine. I just don't like being lied to, is all."

"Shane is the company's executive producer. Plus, he was the one standing in for Mr. McMahon at the time." she reminded him."You're not listening to me, Ashley!" John yelled, and Ashley could see that he was frustrated. "Damn. Is there some reason you didn't want to tell me, or even some reason why you didn't cal me during your time away from here?"

"Some reason I didn't want to tell you?" she repeated. "Cena, how do you want me to explain to you I couldn't call you? If Shane hadn't talked me into coming back, I wouldn't have, okay. He said I should come back. I told him I would talk to Carrie first, and see what she thinks. I came back because she was okay with it, and wanted to see me wrestle. My number one priority isn't wrestling, it's my daughter I would have been just fine staying at home with her!" she said angrily.

"Yeah, and that's something else," John said, his voice still loud and angry. "Why did you keep the fact that you had a daughter from me? And don't tell me it was a secret. Melina knew, so obviously you had no problem with it being known. But you kept it from me." His eyes narrowed.

"Melina." she began. "Is my best friend. Honestly, I knew your initial reaction wouldn't have been a pleasant one. She's my daughter, and I want to protect her. I kept it from you because it wasn't, and still isn't any of your business. Your reaction is what kept me from it. I can see you right now. You're judging me. Probably making up an explanation in your head. Phil, Mel, Beth, Shane, Layla, Batista, Katie, Ted DiBiase Jr.-- they've all been okay with it, unlike you." she told him.

"Nice to know you think I'm a total jerk." John threw his hat across the room and balled his hands up into fists. He was really mad now.

John walked back over to Ashley, and got right back in her face again. "You know what I think?" he hissed, causing Ashley to jump back in surprise. "I think that you're nothing but a liar. You say that you didn't know you were coming back, but I think that's bullshit. You didn't have the nerve to tell me you were coming back because you thought that, for some reason, I didn't deserve to know."

He grabbed Ashley's arm. "You know what else? I think that us being friends was a one-sided thing. I should've known better than to try and be friends with someone like you. Girls like you only care about themselves, and I guess you thought you were too good to be my friend, but you didn't want to hurt my feelings, so you pretended." He rolled his eyes at Ashley. "Or did someone pay you to act like we were friends?"

Ashley winced at the grip John had on her arm. It really hurt, and besides that, his behavior was really beginning to scare her. She'd never seen John like this, and didn't realize he could be this dangerous.

"John, I never acted like your friend. And, no one paid me. That hurts John. I do care about you. Please stop. You're hurting me. Let go!" she tugged at his grip, but failed. She saw her arm, and tears began to form at her eyelids.

"Oh, am I hurting you?" John asked nastily, not loosening his grip one bit. "Poor Ashley. For once she's on the receiving end of pain, instead of dishing it out." His grip tightened. "Now you know how I feel. What I'm doing to you right now isn't even half of what you did to me."

"John, let go of me!" Ashley wailed. "Stop, please!" She pleaded for him to stop, but John simply ignored her. That bitch lied to you, he kept thinking. So you need to show her exactly how she made you feel.

John grabbed Ashley by the shoulders roughly, digging his fingers into her shoulder. "And who's going to make me let go of you?" He smirked. "You? Because no one else knows about what's happening right now. So go ahead and cry, it won't do you any good." Ashley was frightened now. John really had snapped. She looked around fearfully, searching for anyone that could help her get away from John.

"Who are you looking for?" John whispered into Ashley's ear.

"Like I told you, no one is in this arena. They left right after the show." John continued to speak into Ashley's ear. "So you can scream, you can cry, you can fight me all you want. But you're going to tell me why you lied to me, and you're going to do it now." Ashley struggled to get away, but John held her firmly. "Stop trying to get away from me, Ashley. There's no one you can run to."

"You're wrong. I'm here, kid." a new deep voice came from the shadows.

The person moved, and was revealed to be none other than Dave Batista.

"Let her go." Dave said just as dangerously.

"Or what ?" John replied calmly, not backing down from the bigger man at all. "You gonna make me, bro?"

He smirked. "And who are you anyway? Ashley's savior? Oh look, here comes the big, bad Batista to save the damsel in distress." John snorted. "Pathetic."

"Pathetic, me? You're hurting a woman. That's pathetic. Can't you pick on someone your own size? I'd be more than happy to beat you to pieces." "The Animal" growled.

"Is that so?" John cleared his throat. "Well, since you've made it your mission to stick your nose in where it don't belong, then why don't you just beat my ass right here, right now?" John threw his hands in the air. "Hell, I can even get a ref in here if you wanna do this." He looked over at Ashley. "And your girlfriend can watch." His expression grew serious. "But if you're gonna beat my ass, then you better do it right, because if you give me the opportunity, I will pummel you like you've never been pummeled before."

"Are you serious" Dave sneered. "I am bigger, stronger, and better than you will ever be Cena. As for you pummeling me, well, I highly doubt it. Now, like I said before, let her go. Or, you will face me, and my consequences." Dave warned.

John loosened his grip on Ashley, and pushed her away roughly. He looked up at Dave, who was seething with anger, and said, "You're not even worth my time, bro. You want Ashley, you can have her. I got better places to be."

"Yeah? Well, you'll be there once I'm done with you." Dave said as he grabbed the coming John Cena by his shirt, and slammed him against the wall roughtly. "Now, I want you to apologize to Ashley. Now!" Dave seethed, and tightened his own grip on the young man.

John tried to wiggle free of the bigger man's grip, but Dave wasn't going to let him go until he apologized. He rubbed a spot on his head, where it had hit the wall, and winced in pain. He looked over at Ashley, who was visibly upset and crying, and made an attempt to apologize.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Ashley," he said, as he looked over at Dave. "I guess what I said was out of line." John sighed and said to Dave, "There. You happy?"

"No! I want you to mean it. Do it again." Dave said. "You have 15 seconds. Starting now." Dave hurried.

John scrambled to find the words. If he made his apology sound at least halfway sincere, then maybe Dave would let him go. Deep down, there was probably a part of him that felt bad, but John's pride and ego were in control right now, and he really wasn't sorry. But he apologized anyway.

"Ashley, I really am sorry," John said, trying to sound sincere. "I had no right to yell at you and grab you and scare you like that. I hope you can accept my apology." He looked over at Dave, who was shooting him a dirty look. "I didn't mean to be a jerk."

This time, Ashley spoke up, but not before laughing. "Jerk, huh? What you acted wasn't jerk-like. It was more along the lines of an ass. I don't accept your apology. But, I unlike you do have compassionate feelings for others, regardless of my feelings towards them. Dave, you can let him go." he nodded to The Animal.

Dave didn't want to, but seeing Ashley's face, he relented. "Fine, but you touch Ashley again, and I will kill you." he warned.

"I won't," John said solemnly.

Dave pointed a finger in John's face, and said, "You're damn right you won't, at least you won't if you know what's good for you." He shoved John. "Get out of my sight, now."

You don't have to tell me twice, John thought to himself. He didn't need another beating. He looked at Dave and Ashley one final time, before scrambling hurriedly out of the locker room and into the arena, leaving Ashley and the Animal alone.

"Ashley. Are you okay? I'm sorry, wrong words. Did he touch you anywhere else?" he asked quietly, making his way over to the Dirty Diva, careful not to make her jumpy. From what it looked like to him, she was in shock.

He slowly placed a hand on Ashley's shoulder, trying not to scare her. Ashley just stood there, her face expressionless and her body tense. Dave gently pulled the Diva into his arms and smoothed her hair as he tried to calm the blonde woman down. He could feel her shaking and he rubbed her arms and whispered, "Shhh. It's okay, Ashley."

"He won't hurt you anymore. I'm here, okay? It's okay." he murmured quietly.

Ashley buried her head in the tall man's shoulder, and just let everything out. The stress of returning, worrying about Carrie, and John's actions all in one day had been just too much for her to handle, and she was tired of pretending like she was okay and could handle it. The tears started pouring down her cheeks, and before she knew it, she was sobbing. Ashley knew that she shouldn't be embarassing herself like this by crying on Batista's shoulder, because this wasn't his problem, but she couldn't help it. The tears continued to pour forth and her shoulders began shaking violently. The more she thought about what John had said and done to her, the more she cried, and she knew that she would be sick if she didn't stop crying soon.

Batista's emotions were present tonight. His anger having gotten the best of him earlier, but he hated what he had witnessed. Cena had picked on Ashley, and insulted her. Ashley, who had done nothing wrong. So, when the blonde woman began to cry, he comforted her to the best of his abilities. He held onto her, and rubbed her back. He held her tight to let her know he was right there, and was going to make sure she was okay. He let her cry on his shoulder, and was not bothered by it. He really detested John right now. Here, he had a beautiful strong woman cry because of John's stupidity. He had gotten pissed, and snapped. It was wrong. Now, poor Ashley was breaking into pieces. But, he vowed, John Cena was going to pay for what he had done. And, that was something he would personally see to.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Once again, I'm sorry. I recently started school again, and I've been really busy. I hope this chapter makes up for the loss time, though.

Thank you to Tina and Kat for your help and support.

I want to thank Tina, RKO.I.F., and Kat RoadKill for reviewing chapter 2.

* * *

Ashley was embarrassed. No, she was more than embarrassed. John Cena had decided to be a jerk last week, and she broke down. So, what if he was being stupid? For any other person who wasn't as close to John as she was, they would have brushed it off without so much as a second thought. But, because she considered John one of her closest friends, his attitude had a huge effect on her. She broke down and cried. On Dave Batista, for crying out loud. Which she wanted to apologize to him for as soon as she saw him.

Ashley had gotten a ride with Kelly tonight, and they were at Universal Studios in Orlando for tonight's weekly dose of Monday Night RAW. Once they were inside, they had found out that they were early. Besides herself, Kelly, and Carrie, the only people already here, were Melina, who had ridden with Katie Lea. Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase Jr. and Phil, who had arrived with Randy Orton - who was currently nowhere to be seen. And finally, Ken who had traveled on his own.

"Hey Carrie!" Phil greeted Ashley's daughter.

"Uncle Phil!" Carrie ran over to Phil's already extended arms.

"Darn, and I thought he was going to be happy to see us," Ashley joked.

"Yeah, I guess were aren't as important," Kelly fake pouted.

"Apparently," Ashley responded and laughed. She began to make her way towards her friend, and her daughter.

"Hey Phil!" the two Divas said in unison.

"Huh? Oh, hey guys," Phil greeted, but then went back to talking to Carrie.

"Geez, talk about rude," Ashley commented.

"Hey guys." Cody Rhodes came up to the pair.

"Hi Cody," the younger blonde smiled.

Ashley caught Cody's attention, then pointed at the young man, whose back was on them.

Cody smirked, and nodded.

Ashley then quietly tippy-toed and made her way towards the young man who was standing up, his back to Ashley, listening to his iPod. She then gathered up her strength, and proceeded to jump on Ted DiBiase's back. Having been caught off guard, he fell down.

"What the hell?" he cursed as everyone else, including Carrie laughed.

"Hey, Junior," Ashley smirked.

"Ashley," Ted grunted.

"Aww, come on. Is Teddy maddy?" Ashley used her baby talk voice.

Ted turned a dark shade of red, and narrowed his eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry if it got you mad. I was just playing around," Ashley defended her actions.

Ted frowned, but forgave Ashley anyway. "It's okay, I guess. Just watch you back," he warned in a friendly way, even smirking as he said so.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kelly asked.

"Well, you see, I've known Cody since our diaper-staged life. He can tell you I'm good at getting people back, and I was also know as "the prankster" of our school when we were in high school. Isn't that right, Cody?" Ted asked.

"Sadly," Cody growled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ashley asked.

"Nothing," Cody quickly replied.

"Uh, well, you see, I had this prank planned out for this kid who did not like me, and I didn't like him just as much, but instead, Cody was on the receiving end of it," Ted explained.

"And the prank was what exactly?" Kelly urged.

"You say one word, and you are a dead man," Cody warned.

"Whoa, were did that come from? What happened to quiet Cody?" Ashley was stunned.

"He doesn't want me to talk," Ted explained.

"Got you," Ashley winked.

Then, they all heard a door being slammed quiet angrily.

Randy Orton was stomping his way towards the benches, and looked surprised to find a little crowd there. He looked around, saw Phil and Carrie, and narrowed his eyes.

He made his way to the small bench that was far from anyone else.

"Well, isn't he nice and people-friendly," Ashley observed.

Ted and Katie Lea – who had just joined them – snorted.

"That's putting it nicely," Katie grinned.

"Oh, I know. I would have called him other thing, not very nice ones to be exact, but we have little ears in the room," Ashley gestured towards her daughter.

"Aww, come on guys. He's not that bad once you get to know him," Ken Kennedy said as he walked up to his friends.

"You mean, once you get to know him, he is just that bad," Kelly joked.

"He's a good guy," Ken insisted.

Katie quickly kissed her boyfriend in order to hopefully change the subject.

"Great, kiss him. That's what we wanted to see," Ted groaned.

"Junior!" Ashley warned, and socked her newest friend.

"What?" Ted asked innocently.

"Never mind," Ashley said with a wave of her hand.

"Hey, mommy!" Carrie yelled out.

"Yes, baby?" Ashley asked.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Miss Ashley no-good Massaro. Weren't you fired?" Randy asked angrily, as he walked over to the group of chatting companions.

"Actually, I quit," Ashley replied coolly.

"Same thing," Randy smirked.

"No, it's not. I left because I wanted to," Ashley told him.

"Or, was it because you screwed up, and being the spoiled girl you are, you got scared and ran away. Which makes you a single mother. Not that that's a surprise. I don't see how anyone would go for a tramp like you," Randy taunted Ashley.

Ashley was pissed off now. Randy was nowhere near being a friend of hers, and he had no right to say the things he was saying. So, she punched him in the jaw as hard as she could.

Instantly, she saw blood drip down.

"You bitch!" Randy yelled. He got toe to toe with Ashley, until Phil and Ken began to pull him back because of the crazy look he was getting in his eyes.

"Come on, man. Just call down!" Ken pleaded.

"Yeah, you aren't about to hit a girl, dude, that's not right," Phil agreed.

"So? That Lita wannabe punched me, and you want me to take it lightly? She made me bleed, dammit," Randy growled.

"Because you offended her," Phil shot back.

"It's not my fault princess can't stand hearing the truth," Randy disagreed.

At this statement, Ashley went to where Randy was being held back, and looked him in the eye.

"The truth? You listen to me Orton. You don't know me, and you never have. So, if you want to stand here and say you're telling the truth, let me tell you this. You don't know anything about what I do outside of a wrestling ring. You don't live with me, or anything of that sort. What I do is my business, but let me tell you this. You're wrong. I didn't run away because I was scared. Far from it. I left because my daughter did nothing to deserve any sort of damage this company, or anyone in it would do. I admit it, I made mistakes. I thought my ex would care about Carrie because he was her birth father, but oh, I was wrong. So, I left him before he could hurt me again. Got it? So now you know. Now shut up, and stop assuming you know anything about me," Ashley snapped, and then walked away, grabbing Carrie's hand as she did so. "Come on, baby. Let's go."

"But, Momma," Carrie whined.

"But, nothing. We're leaving," Ashley told her daughter.

Reluctantly, Carrie walked away from Katie Lea and Kelly Kelly, who had been playing with her.

As soon as they were out of sight, Ken , Ted, Cody, and Phil all turned around to look at Randy angrily.

"What?" Randy grunted.

"You are going to apologize," Ted declared.

"Like hell I am," Randy laughed.

Ken grabbed him by the shirt, and pinned him against the wall. "You will, Orton. It is in your best interests to,"

"Hey guys. Whoa, what's going on?" An apparently barely out of the shower Dave Batista walked up to the guys.

"Orton decided to be funny, which, he wasn't," Phil told him.

"Doesn't he always?" Dave grinned. Then, seeing the look on the face of his friends, he turned serious and asked, "Ken, why are you pinning Randy by the shirt?"

"He insulted Ashley," Ken said simply.

"He did what?" Dave questioned, his eyes bugging out.

"He made fun of Ashley and her situation," Ted explained.

"Let him go," Dave nodded to Ken in Randy's direction.

"Listen to me Randy. You can be my friend all you want, but utter so much as another word insulting Ashley, or making a crude comment in her direction, and you'll be in a big problem with me. Is that understood?" Dave asked.

"Are you freaking kidding me? I make a single comment to her, and everyone is on her side?" Randy muttered.

"Yes, because you know what? She's a good person. She's nice and caring. Do you know what the saddest part is?" Ken asked.

"What?" Randy asked nonchalantly.

"Back when you were suspended and you went to those anger management classes, she stood up for you. Everybody backstage was trash talking you, and while she admitted she didn't know you, she thought you were a good person. She said that everyone makes mistakes, and we wouldn't be human if we didn't," Ken confessed.

"Ha-ha. You're funny. Nice joke," Randy laughed it up.

"I'm not kidding Orton. I'm dead serious," Ken insisted.

"Look, whatever. I gotta go get ready. I'll see you guys later," Randy walked away, pretending as if nothing had happened.

"Think we got through him?" Ken asked.

"I hope so. That kid is too bitter for his own good. I understand I might not have helped out because I was in Evolution, but when he broke up with his girlfriend after she cheated, I was there for him. He's my friend, but he shouldn't have gotten mad at Ashley," Dave nodded.

"What's he got against her anyway?" Phil asked.

"I don't know, I don't know," Dave muttered, thinking about what Randy could possibly have a against someone as caring and nice as Ashley.

* * *

"Yeah, you know. It was pretty fun. It was a strange wedding, but fun all the less. She's my cousin, after all. I couldn't just have not gone," Katie Lea went on, and opened the women's locker room door.

"I know what you mean," Beth Phoenix agreed, following her friend inside.

They stopped abruptly when they saw their friend, Ashley Massaro sitting on the floor crying.

"Ashley, what's wrong?" Katie asked, crouching down on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked.

"I, uh, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Ashley hiccuped.

Katie looked around. "Where's Carrie?"

"With Layla walking around the arena," Ashley smiled.

"You're okay, huh?" Beth asked expectantly.

"What happened?" Katie asked.

"I came to the arena early, and all these people were there, including Randy…." Ashley cried.

"Oh, stop right there girlie. That's enough explanation," Beth waved her hand.

"How about you get ready, and we'll be right back? You're almost up," Katie reminded.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. All right, I'll see you guys later," Ashley grabbed her bag, and walked in the showers.

Silently, Katie Lea and Beth went out the locker room, and went straight towards the men's room. They barged in, and got strange looks.

"Where's Orton?" Katie demanded.

"What? Did you really ask for Randy? I thought you had a boyfriend, Katie?" John Cena teased.

Katie growled.

"Whoa, okay. Never mind," John backed off.

"Once again I'll ask you, where is Randy?" Katie repeated.

"I'm here. Why are you looking for me?" Randy asked as he stepped out of the showers wearing some jeans and a black "Affliction" shirt.

"You're a disgusting cold hearted son of a ---" Katie yelled angrily before Ken covered her mouth.

"Is that so? What gave you that impression?" Randy asked, a smirk growing on his features.

"That's it. I've had it with you. I've tried to be nice, and all I get is distasteful comments back, not to mention you insult the people I care about," Katie told him.

"Who?" Randy asked.

"Earlier," Beth piped up.

"Who are you talking about? Oh, is that what this is about? This is about Trashley?" Randy groaned.

Without warning, he received a kick to his very sensitive area.

"What the hell?" he yelled angrily.

"Why'd you kick him?" John asked, coming to the defense of his best friend.

"Because he deserved it. Just like you deserve everything you're gonna get come our match," Batista said simply.

"Who was talking to you?" John asked.

"Nobody. But you know what, I can see why you and Orton are the best of friends. You two are exactly alike," Dave told him.

"You know what? You get on my nerves, man. I can't stand you."

"I feel exactly the same way about you Cena," Dave told the younger man.

"Then let's do something about it," John got closer to Dave.

"Guys, cool it. If you're gonna get angry and fight, save it for the ring," Shawn Michaels advised.

"Whatever," John muttered and began to walk off.

"We warned you. Now, you stay away from Ashley. And you better apologize, if you know what's good for you," Katie told the former WWE Champion before walking off with her friend, the Glamazon, Beth Phoenix.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Ashley Massaro was done. She had finished getting ready, and was now going to look for Layla and Carrie.

Little did she know, her daughter was about to meet someone, and have a very interesting experience with that individual.

"Hey Lay," the current World Tag Team Champion, Ted DiBiase greeted.

"Hey Ted. How's it going?" the young woman asked.

"Okay, I guess. Is that who I think it is?" he asked, referring to the girl sitting in the chair eating a banana not too far from him.

"That depends. Who do you think it is?" Layla smirked.

Ted groaned. "Ashley's daughter of course."

"Well, for once you're right," Layla teased.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he growled.

"Hi," a new voice greeted.

The tag team champion looked down and saw a small little girl standing there, a big smile on her face and her eyes wide. Her smile was infectious, and Ted couldn't help but smile back at the child.

"Hey there," Ted replied, as he knelt down to speak to the little girl. "So you must be Carrie, right? I've heard a lot about you."

"Yes, I'm Carrie. What's your name?" she asked.

Ted took the small girl's hand in his own, and shook it gently. "I'm Ted, but my friends call me Teddy. It's a pleasure to meet you." The small child giggled and shyly brushed back a piece of her hair.

"My momma's name is Ashley," she said proudly.

Ted laughed. "I met her. So, I see you have a banana. Can I have some?" Ted asked, grinning at the child in front of him.

"Sure," Carrie replied, offering her banana to the older man. "Momma says that bananas are good for me, and that they'll make me strong."

"Then you'll be just like me," he teased.

"No, I'll be like Mr. Batista," Carrie told the older man.

Ted laughed. The little girl certainly was very charming, and adorable. He couldn't help but notice how much she looked like her mother.

"Wouldn't you rather be like me?" He asked.

"No, I can't imagine anyone wanting to be like you," Layla teased.

"But I'm so much stronger, and more good-looking, and of course, much more talented." He winked at Carrie.

Carrie giggled. Suddenly, Saliva's, "I Walk Alone" blasted through the arena speakers.

"Introducing first, from Washington, D.C, weighing in at two hundred and ninety pounds, Batista!" Lillian announced.

Because the trio was near a television, they saw as The Animal came out, to the roar of the crowd.

As the cheering for Batista died down, Cena's entrance music then began to play, receiving boos and cheers.

"And from West Newbury, Massachusetts, his opponent, John Cena!"

Once both men were inside the ring, the referee rung then bell, and the match was underway.

John, still angry from earlier, started off by violently delivering a series of swift kicks to Batista's stomach. The smaller man continued attacking Dave, following up the kicks with a few stiff punches to the Animal's jaw, refusing to let up until the other man forced him to.

Dave grabbed John and attempted to Batista Bomb him, and end the match, but Cena retaliated with a kick to the back for Dave. John, then cornered him, and began to hit the bigger man in the head until the referee told him to stop. John ignored the referee's warnings and pulled Dave upright, as he began to deliver a series of chops to the Animal's chest.

When he tried to get up, John threw him out of the ring. He smirked, then went out the ring himself. He grabbed Dave by his trunks, and slammed him into the ring post. The Animal then fell to the floor in pain. He held on to his right shoulder, which had been the one to collide with the pole.

John, who had seen Dave grab his injured shoulder, smiled in victory. He went under the ring, and found the object he was looking for; a steel chair. Clutching the chair, the former WWE Champion slowly made his way toward Batista, a wild look in his eyes and an evil smirk playing on his lips.

Dave was still holding his shoulder as he tried to back away from Cena, who was dangerously close to him now. His eyes grew wide as John raised the chair and he tried to stumble back so that John wouldn't hit his injured arm, but was unsuccessful. John brought the chair down and hit Batista squarely in the head.

All Batista felt was immense pain and he saw stars briefly before he fell to the floor, unconscious. But John wasn't finished with the Animal yet. The fight from earlier was still burned in his mind, and the only way he could relieve his frustration and jealousy was by hurting him.

He jumped on the man and began hitting him repeatedly in the face. Several referees surrounded John and tried to pull him off of the injured and unconscious Batista, but John continued his attacks. There weren't enough referees to hold him back, and he struggled as he felt them attempt to pull him away.

The crowd roared as more referees came down, followed by a few security guards. John continued to viciously attack Batista, all the while yelling obscenities at him. He was mad as hell at the Animal, and he knew that once Dave recovered, he would have one pissed off Animal to deal with, but he didn't care right now.

The roars of the crowd turned to cheers once the opening notes of Metalingus, Edge's theme song, blared through the speakers. The Rated-R Superstar, with Ashley Massaro by his side, glanced over at the ring, then down to where John was attacking Dave. He quickly ran down the ramp and over to where John was crouched, still beating the life out of Batista.

John hissed in anger as he felt the arms of the Canadian firmly lift him off of the D.C. native.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled angrily.

"What the hell are YOU doing?" Edge retorted. He gestured to Dave, who was now a bloody mess. "What is this going to solve, John?"

"He'll know I'm better than him," John smirked.

Edge rolled his eyes at the childish comment.

"Okay, so beating the hell out of a defenseless man will teach him that you're better than him. What did Batista ever do to you?" he asked.

"He messed with…" John muttered.

"Messed with what? And I have the feeling you were going to say with what's yours, and let me tell you something. Ashley isn't anyone's property. Or, as far as I know he never messed with you," Edge shot back.

John fixed his blue eyes on Ashley, who was looking at Batista with sympathy in her eyes. She looked back up at Edge, who seemed to be very confused by John's actions. She was surprised by the way John was acting. It was not like him at all.

"You know what, Edge?" he hissed viciously. "Maybe you shouldn't be sticking your nose in things that you know nothing about."

While John and Edge continued arguing, Ashley quietly slipped over to where Dave was lying on the ground, breathing hard and still bloody. Ashley couldn't believe how helpless he looked at that moment. She felt a tear slip down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away before anyone would notice. Slowly, she knelt down and gently shook Batista's shoulder, to see if he was awake or still unconscious.

"Dave, Dave, honey, wake up." Ashley gently shook him, careful not to touch his right shoulder. Slowly, the bloodied up Animal began to stir. He groaned in pain, and opened his eyes.

"Ashley?" he asked, his face showing a confused expression.

Ashley breathed a sigh of relief at hearing him speak.

"Yes, Dave, it's me," she replied, as she reached out and gently rubbed his head. "You feeling okay? I saw what John did…."

"Honestly, I feel far from okay. My body hurts all over, I'm bleeding, I got hit with a steel chair. Need I go on?" he asked.

Ashley laughed. "No, that's okay. Just stay quiet for now. We don't want you getting even more agitated."

Batista smiled at the woman. She'd been so kind to come check on him, when she didn't have to. It really warmed his heart.

His smile quickly faded though, as he realized that John had been the one who caused him this pain. _I'm going to kill him_, he thought. _Not just hurt him, but kill him._

"Come on. Let's get you to a trainer," Ashley gently grabbed the bigger man, and gave him a hand up.

Slowly, he got to a standing position.

_Man, am I glad for Ashley,_ he thought as he felt his legs would buckle under him, and make him fall had Ashley not been there.

"I mean, you really took it too far tonight, Cena," Edge said, his voice calm yet firm. "There's other ways you can--"

"Can you shut up for a second?" John replied. He looked over his shoulder and saw Ashley helping the man who he'd beaten almost lifeless earlier. He could feel the anger boiling back up, and he wanted to go and finish the job. Why was Ashley helping him anyway?

John made a move to go over to where Ashley and Dave were standing, on the ramp, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him. Irritated, he turned his head to find Edge looking right at him, shaking his head.

"What are you doing?" John asked, the irritation present in his voice.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm stopping you from being a stupid jackass. Don't you think you've hurt the man enough?" Edge asked, then seeing John's face, which clearly said, no, he spoke up again. "You have no solid reason to hurt him the way you did, so either you leave him alone and walk away, or I'll make sure you don't bother him. You pick."

John, seeing he had no other option, gave up, and could only stand and watch as Ashley made her way to the back, carefully helping Dave with what looked like affection. Which, pissed him off so much.


End file.
